Category: wedding

Alistbeauty helps with 7 Secrets for the Perfect Eyeliner

There are certain skills in life that you could probably get by without (like learning how to poach an egg or knowing how to do a waterfall braid). But getting your eyeliner straight and even is pretty essential to daily life if you ask us—and also pretty damn tricky. So we polled the women we know who always have impeccably lined eyes for their best tips.

They Use PrimerIf smudgy or runny liner is a constant issue for you, try starting off with a little primer. Not only will it create a smoother surface for application, but it will also keep things in place as it wears.

They Know Which Formulas Work Best for ThemGenerally speaking, pencils and gel liners are easier to apply than liquids. So if you’re feeling a bit uncertain about your skills, reach for a more forgiving pencil first, and then you can work your way up to liquid liners.

PHOTOS POWER/GETTY IMAGES

They Steady Their ElbowsBefore you go in with your liner, find a flat surface to steady your elbows against and then draw. Stable arms equal steady lines.

They Rely on More Than One ShadeUse a darker shade (like black or brown) along the upper lash line and don’t worry about making it perfect. Next, take a slightly lighter shade (like gray or bronze) and blend it along the top edge of the line you just drew to hide any unevenness. Note: You can also do this with eye shadow.

They Work BackwardInstead of lining your eyes from the inner corners out, start with the end point and work your way in for better symmetry. This is especially key if you’re rocking a cat-eye look.

They Use Concealer to Clean UpThough we instinctively reach for remover to fix mistakes, it tends to bleed into the surrounding makeup (which sometimes means having to start all over again). Use your concealer to do the job instead.

They Replace Their Liners RegularlyMost pros recommend swapping out your liners every two months (if it’s a gel pot, as they tend to trap moisture and bacteria the easiest) or four to six months (if it’s liquid because they tend to dry out faster) and every year (if it’s pencil). Again, perhaps we should all just be using pencils.

VINTAGE LAVENDER WEDDING INSPIRATION

Modern motifs meet vintage flair at this lavender wedding

Love the trendiness of mixed metals but know your an old soul? Look no further than this dreamy lavender wedding theme! Pulling inspiration from the historic gadgets and machinery that drive steampunk fashion, the elegant scene contains copper and gold table decor as well as a vintage camera. Leading the colour palette are creamy hues of lavender and yellow in the floral, vintage chair, appliquéd tablecloth, sparkly Jimmy Choo shoes and even stationery suite. Between the baroque dining chairs and the four-tier paper crepe cake, we can’t decide which detail is our favorite!

Makeup Tricks That Shave Years Off Your Look

Makeup should be a friend, not a foe, and as we age there are certain ways makeup can age your look. Here are easy ways to use makeup to your advantage and knock a couple years off in the process.

Use Yellow-Toned Foundation
A foundation with a yellow base instead of a pink one will help cancel out any redness in your skin.

Fill In Your Brows
As women age and lose estrogen in their bodies, they tend to lose eyebrow hairs on the outer corners, creating a shortened look. Use a good brow pencil to feather color onto the tails of your brows to give your face an instantly lifted look.

Use a Light-Reflecting Concealer
As skin gets thinner around your eyes, you want to move away from using a heavy concealer. The best concealer for aging eyes is one that is lightweight and deflects light, like Chantecaille’s Le Camouflage Stylo

Switch to Brown Eyeliner

Oftentimes, black eyeliner can look too harsh and severe. Use a chocolate-brown pencil instead for a soft and beautiful look.

Apply Peach Blush to the Apples of Your Cheeks
Keeping product on the apples of your cheeks instead of under your cheekbones helps to give a youthful appearance to your face.

Choose a Lip Color a Shade Darker Than Your Natural Lip Color
A dark lip can sometimes make you look older, so find shades that are closer to your natural lip color and offer a bit of shine.

There’s more to the perfect wedding venue than just the aesthetics (though good looks are a huge bonus!). There are all sorts of important details you’ll need to cover before you sign on the dotted line. We’ve asked the pros for the key questions to ask your wedding venue you’ll want to ask before you book. You just might want to bring this list with you!

Pricing & Availability

Is my date of choice available? If not, are there any surrounding dates available? Or do you have a wait list for dates?

Pro tip: Try to visit venues before you’ve chosen an exact date. If you have a few options or a range of dates that might work, you’ll be more likely to secure a spot at the venue of your dreams!

How far in advance can I reserve my date?

3.What are the rates for different days of the week and times (Friday, Saturday, Sunday; morning, afternoon, evening)? What about different seasons!

Pro tip: If you don’t have your heart set on a Saturday-night wedding in the summer, you may find more available dates on a Friday or Sunday and during the slower season—as well as lower prices!

How many hours are included in the rental of the space? How early can we arrive, and how late can we stay?

Is there an additional charge for extra hours? How much?

How many weddings or events do you host on one day? On one weekend?

Pro tip: Ideally, you’ll want to be the only event on-site on your wedding day, as having other events happening can result in less set-up time, limited venue access, and confusion for your guests. If you’re not guaranteed to be the only event that day, find out how much it would cost to do a complete buyout, as well as ask about how the staff handles having multiple events at once.

Payment

How much is the deposit?

How do you structure the payment schedule?

Pro tip: Most venues will have you pay a deposit upon signing the contract, and the balance in installments between the day you sign and your wedding date.

What is included in the total? Does it cover service charges, gratuity, and cleaning fees, or are those additional line items?

Pro tip: You may see a “++” on certain items on the bill. Called “plus plus,” that means you’ll be paying tax and gratuity on top of the listed cost.

What is the cancellation policy?

Pro tip: You’ll want to find out how long you have to cancel and get your money back (or at least some of it).

When is the last possible date to make changes to our reservation?

Pro tip: If there’s a chance you might need to change your wedding date, find out how long you have to do so without incurring a penalty or fee.

Vendor Team

Do you have a list of approved or recommended vendors we can use?

Do we have to use your approved vendors? If not, are there limitations or guidelines we need to meet when bringing others in?

Pro tip: If your venue doesn’t require you to use their vendors, ask if there are any they recommend most highly. A vendor who is familiar with your venue will already know the quirks and challenges of the space, which will make your planning process that much easier!

Logistics

Is the site handicap accessible?

Are there noise restrictions?

Pro tip: Many venues are under noise ordinances (town or county rules requiring music to stop at a certain time) or have restrictions of their own. Find out how late you can play music, as well as whether you need to turn it off at that time or just turn it down or move inside.

How many bathrooms are there? Will we need to rent additional portable restrooms?

Is parking available on-site? How much space is there? Will guests be charged for parking?

Pro tip: Sometimes use of parking is included in your site rental fee, sometimes it isn’t. If there is a fee and it isn’t covered by your rental, ask how much it would cost for you to pay for your guests’ parking for the evening.

Event Specifics

What is the venue’s capacity?

Pro tip: Find out how many guests you can fit in the space with and without a dance floor, with a band vs. with a DJ (as a band will require more space), and with round vs. rectangular or square tables to understand which decisions will help you maximize the space and your guest list.

Do you have your own sound equipment and speakers, or will those need to be rented or provided by the entertainment?

What is the backup plan for rain or inclement weather?

Pro tip: Go look at this space closely, too! While no one wants a rainy wedding day, it happens quite often, so you’ll want to love your Plan B just as much as Plan A.

Are there any décor restrictions?

Pro tip: Ask about where and how things like lights and drapery can be hung, as well as whether you can use candles with an open flame or if you need to use LED candles instead.

When can vendors arrive for setup?

Will your staff be involved in setting up and breaking down the décor? In what capacity?

Pro tip: A venue like a hotel will usually have staff available to help arrange and set the tables, then help pack up any rented glassware, flatware, and dishes at the end of the night. Confirm exactly what the venue’s staff will be doing so you can pass that information on to your other vendors.

Food & Drinks

Do you have an in-house caterer? If so, are food and beverages included in the venue rental fee?

If there is not an in-house caterer, do we have to choose from a list of approved options, or can we hire our own caterer?

Do you have a food and beverage minimum? What are the consequences if we don’t meet it?

Pro tip: Venues with in-house caterers will often have a food and beverage minimum that you’re required to meet as part of the contract—essentially a minimum amount you need to spend. Find out what happens if you don’t meet it, as well as what upgraded options you might be able to add to your menu to help you meet that minimum.

Do we have to purchase liquor through you, or can we source liquor elsewhere?

Pro tip: Many venues offer the option of purchasing liquor directly through them (especially if they have an exclusive or in-house caterer), which is super convenient. It can, however, come with a hefty markup. Find out if you can source your liquor elsewhere, which allows you to price-shop, or if you can buy it yourself and bring it to the event.

If we can bring our own liquor onto the property, is there a corkage or service fee?

Pro tip: If your venue does allow you to buy your own alcohol, they may charge a fee to serve it on the property—which is still often much less than the price of ordering straight through the venue.*

Production Staff

Who will be our point person as we plan our wedding? Who will be our point person on our wedding day?

Pro tip: It’s always best if these two people are one and the same, but that’s not always the case. Find out who your contact will be for the planning process, as they’ll be the contact for your vendors as well. But also make sure you get the contact information for whoever will be at the venue on your wedding day, so you can ensure they have all the necessary details in order.

Can we meet them today?

Pro tip: If they aren’t the person you’re doing your tour with, try to meet these contacts in person ASAP to find out if you get along. It’s not a deal breaker, but having a good rapport will make the process much more smooth, and it’s always nice to put a name and face together!

VINTAGE LAVENDER WEDDING INSPIRATION

Modern motifs meet vintage flair at this lavender wedding

Love the trendiness of mixed metals but know your an old soul? Look no further than this dreamy lavender wedding theme! Pulling inspiration from the historic gadgets and machinery that drive steampunk fashion, the elegant scene contains copper and gold table decor as well as a vintage camera. Leading the colour palette are creamy hues of lavender and yellow in the floral, vintage chair, appliquéd tablecloth, sparkly Jimmy Choo shoes and even stationery suite. Between the baroque dining chairs and the four-tier paper crepe cake, we can’t decide which detail is our favorite!

The right moisturizer is the best makeup primer.

While the team at alistbeauty applauds the women who are down to leave the house with nothing but SPF on, You have to start with a solid canvas. In the morning before using foundation, we have found that a hydrating face cream is the only primer needed. Try sometime that extends the hydration of your face all day long and that is oil-free (yet still silky) texture is perfect for layering my foundation on top. This will provide just the right amount of slip so makeup goes on smoothly, but it also keeps everything in place without creasing or smudging.

It’s a form of self-care.

Going through the steps of your skin-care regimen is perfectly fine to take a moment for yourself every day. That minute-long facial massage you give myself with your moisturizer of choice is the ultimate form of self-care over the course of my jam-packed daily schedule. Try to zone out and clear my head while doing it because you will probably won’t have another free moment to relax until your back home at the end of the day.

It makes your feel more confident.

You may start to notice fine lines forming on your forehead. They unexpectedly moved in overnight and set up shop on your face. It’s probably because your not drinking enough water throughout the day, but it’s not a good look for my foundation when it settles in those fine lines. The solution — besides staying hydrated — try a moisturizing mist. It seriously keeps over-sized pores and fine lines at bay since it plumps and glows, even with your foundation on.

The long-term effects are satisfying.

The selfie generation isn’t afraid to experiment with wild makeup looks for Instagram and IRL instant gratification, but when you do a full skin-care routine, it feels like you are investing in your skin’s future. And right now, that future is looking bright — and positively dewy.

Listen up, fall 2018 brides! Bridal Fashion Week has come and gone, and we’ve pored over every wedding dress to make your search for the One as easy as possible. Want to know the latest wedding-dress trends before you kick off a season of wedding-dress shopping? We’re here for you always. While last season’s wedding-dress trends aren’t going anywhere (off-the-shoulder, blue, lace!), this season saw a new take on some of our favorites. Capes are still going strong, but this season they’ve been upgraded from capelet to full-on princess cape. Off-the-shoulder dresses are still everywhere and ultra flattering, but designers put a new spin on sleeves for them. And ladylike mid-length dresses have us all seeing visions of Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face.

From princess-inspired capes to cool moto jackets, detachable sleeves, tea-length ladylike frocks, and even shorts, these are the wedding-dress trends we’re loving for 2018.

Courtesy of Elie Saab

Princess Capes

Designers are trusting you to channel your inner Snow White on “I do” day. Skip the train or veil and top your wedding dress off with an utterly too chic cape. Whether they were long, mid, or mini, capes were all over the Bridal Fashion Week runways, and we’re betting next year’s winter brides will be loving this trend. (Wedding dress by Elie Saab)

Wedding Jackets

Not feeling like going full-on Disney? No problem! There were plenty of cool wedding-ready moto jackets, topping off beautiful lace wedding dresses, to pick from. We guarantee this is one wedding-day piece you’ll wear again and again. (Wedding dress by Monique Lhuillier)

Detached Sleeves

Call it the evolution of the off-the-shoulder wedding-dress trend. Designers are still intent on showing off brides’ shoulders, but this season that trend comes on and off! Detached sleeves were one of the big wedding-dress trends we spotted—from bouffant to slinky and lacy, they create the look of an off-the-shoulder dress while actually being a strapless dress. (Wedding dress by Monique Lhuillier)

Mid-Length

Calling all Audrey Hepburn enthusiasts! The latest wedding-dress length trend feels pulled straight out of a 1950s screen goddess’s wardrobe. Designers are feeling modest for next fall, and mid-calf-length wedding dresses were all over the runways. This sweet trend feels reinvented and yet whimsically vintage for the bride-to-be looking for fashion yet wanting a classic look. (Wedding dress by Elie Saab)

Brides, having long hair can be a blessing and a curse. While we love those hair-in-the-wind moments, it can sometimes be a real pain combing and tugging through long strands. It’s easy to run your tresses through a flat iron or blower on a day-to-day basis, but when you’re getting ready to walk down the aisle, plenty of factors come into play when deciding on your wedding day ‘do. Will my hair hold the style? Will I inadvertently cover my gown’s lace neckline? These are some of the many questions that will may worry you, but the answer is quiet simple: opt for an updo!

Whether a sleek ponytail or low maintenance bun, a wedding updo will prevent your luxurious strands from flying all over the place, and keep the attention on your wedding dress. Even better, you can add nearly any hair accessory to create a look that’s all your own. Keep scrolling for 17 wedding updos we’re loving right now.

An open back dress and low bun are a match made in bridal heaven.

After your updo is secured, loosen a few strands from the front to frame your face.

Glam up a minimal side swept knot with a jeweled hair accessory.

This bride opted for an updo to showcase her dress’s simple detailing, but we can’t stop staring at her peek-a-boo braid.

Long fine hair can be twisted up under to create a 40’s Bob style which looks timeless and glamours.

New fall fragrances debut every year like clockwork, but your wedding day scent leaves a lasting impression on one of the most important occasions in a bride’s life. Whether your nuptials are right around the corner or you’re looking for your new signature scent, consider the newest crop of autumnal perfumes hitting the shelves this season. Below, eight new irresistible fall fragrances on alistbeauty.ca radar right now.

Chanel

It doesn’t get more timeless than the newest floral iteration from Chanel. Consider this fragrant bouquet of jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, and grasse tuberose the new classic every woman should own. Chanel Gabrielle Chanel Eau de Parfum, at Sephora

Tom Ford

Cool spices make for a surf-meets-campfire vibe in this chic autumnal fragrance. Refreshing notes of seaweed are juxtaposed beautifully with an oud blend and pink peppercorn to put you in the mood for fall.

Tiffny & Co.

If you could bottle up a glamorous New York City–inspired perfume, this would be it. Tiffany & Co.’s new signature fragrance was inspired by jewelry, of course, and has a fresh radiance with notes of vert de mandarine and iris (the lovely flower synonymous with the brand). Tiffany & Co. Eau de Parfum, at Bloomingdale’s

Gucci

Floral fragrance lovers will clamor over this contemporary jasmine and tuberose-infused perfume. Rangoon creeper—a south Indian plant that changes colors from pink to red when it blooms—rounds out the scent with a powdery finish. Gucci Bloom Eau de Parfum, at Sephora

Ralph Lauren

Inspired by the quintessential Ralph Lauren woman, this decadently balanced scent of feminine florals with rich woodsy notes is a perfect fit for the fall season. Ralph Lauren Woman Eau de Parfum, at Sephora

Calvin Klein

The iconic American brand has remixed the circa-1993 classic Obsession with this new lavender and musk iteration. The aromatic intensity makes quite the statement, in the best way possible. Calvin Klein Obsessed for Women.

Burberry

The name says it all: With an energizing mix of fruity florals, this pomegranate, jasmine, and rose-infused fragrance is the ultimate feminine scent of the season, pink hue and all. Burberry My Burberry Blush, at Sephora

Hermès

With a harmonious mix of bold ginger and sultry tuberose, this powdery floral has quite the unexpected pairing of notes. The striking infusion is balanced seamlessly with sandalwood for a fragrance that’s anything but ordinary. Hermès Twilly d’Hermès Eau de Parfum, at Hermès

I am sure you have received a wedding invitation that has left you comedpletely clueless about the wedding guest dress code? Between “black tie optional” and “semiformal,” what does this mean? The language can be tricky to decipher, but we looked it up. Here are the most common wedding-guest dress codes explained so that you arrive appropriately—and stylishly!—dressed to the celebration.

The Invitation Says: “White Tie”

This the most formal of all dress codes (think: White House state dinners).

For the ladies: A formal floor-length evening gown.

For the men: A tuxedo, a long black jacket with tails, a formal white shirt, white vest and bow tie, white or gray gloves, and black formal shoes.

The Invitation Says: “Black Tie”

This is the next most formal wedding dress code, and usually means the wedding is an evening event.

For the ladies: You can go a bit dressier and wear a formal floor-length gown, or choose a short, dressy cocktail dress. (If you’re unsure about the appropriate dress length, the bride, wedding party, or friends should be able to answer your questions.)

For the men: A tuxedo. A black bow tie, black vest or cummerbund, and patent leather shoes are also suggested. For summer weddings, a white dinner jacket and black tuxedo trousers are also acceptable. (You might be able to get away with a conservative black suit as a substitute for the tux.)

The Invitation Says: “Formal” or “Black Tie Optional”

The wording here indicates something slightly less formal than black tie is acceptable. So, a tuxedo isn’t required, but the event is still formal enough for one to be appropriate.

For the ladies: A long dress, dressy separates, or a formal cocktail dress.

For the men: A tuxedo or a formal dark suit, white shirt, and conservative tie.

The Invitation Says: “Semiformal” or “Dressy Casual”

Take your cues from the time of the event: Wear darker, more formal colors for an evening wedding; opt for light colors and fabrics for a daytime event.

For the ladies: A cocktail dress or a long, dressy skirt and top.

For the men: A suit and tie, dark or light depending on the season and time of day.

The Invitation Says: “Festive Attire”

Relatively new, this one can leave many guests scratching their heads. Basically, guests are given the go-ahead to have fun and play with their look. Opt for cocktail-party attire featuring bolder colors and playful accessories.

For the ladies: A cocktail dress or party dress in a fun color, paired with playful accessories.

For the men: A suit and tie, jazzed up with a bright tie.

The Invitation Says: “Casual”

This indicates the wedding will likely be held outdoors or on the beach, meaning the event will be much more laid-back, especially when it comes to attire. That said, jeans, shorts, and tank tops are probably not appropriate unless they’re specifically noted as acceptable.

For the ladies: A summer sundress is appropriate (just make sure the fabric isn’t overly formal).

For the men: Dress pants or khaki pants with a button-down shirt, tie (though you might be able to get out of wearing a tie), and sport jacket or sweater.